A lot to prove for Texas

Rose Bowl

Posted: Saturday, January 01, 2005

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Texas defensive tackle Rod Wright realized he was in for a bizarre stretch of California dreaming shortly after arriving at Disneyland for the team's first entertainment-related function of Rose Bowl week.

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As the Longhorns toured the theme park, they were accosted by a group of California fans who shared their thoughts about Texas' last-minute surge to fourth in the final Bowl Championship Series standings that relegated the Golden Bears to the Holiday Bowl and vaulted Texas (10-1) into today's showdown with Michigan (9-2) in college football's "Granddaddy" of all bowl games.

"We had a couple of people saying, 'Y'all better win with the gift y'all got,' " Wright said. "And we had a couple of people shouting at us. We've been getting a little bit (of grief). But we knew that would happen before we came out here."

What was unclear, until Texas began on-site preparations for Saturday's game in Pasadena, was how much negative backlash would greet the team that replaced California on the Rose Bowl docket.

The answer: plenty. Anti-Texas sentiment and ongoing denial about a No-Cal Rose Bowl continues to grip the City of Angels.

As of Tuesday, the Web site for the "Pasadena Star-News" listed the Cal band and a Cal float in the official running order for the Rose Parade. By Thursday, the site had been updated.

Earlier this week, the "Star-News" ran this quote from Pasadena city councilman Victor Gordo: "Now, we have a bunch of Texans coming to town. They are welcome, but only if they are nicer and more generous to us than the Texan in the White House has been."

Throughout the week, multiple media outlets have blamed a recent stretch of rainy weather that threatens to dampen the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game for the first time since 1955 on the presence of the Longhorns in today's contest.

Rose Bowl

Michigan vs. Texas

 WHERE: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

 WHEN: 4:30 p.m.

 TV: ABC

 RECORDS: Michigan 9-2, Texas 10-1

 KEY STAT: Michigan is 27th nationally in rushing defense (126.5 ypg). Texas is second in the nation in rushing offense (302.4 ypg).

 ABOUT MICHIGAN: The Wolverines have a nice trio on offense, headed by senior WR Braylon Edwards (87 catches, 1,221 yards, 12 TDs), who will find some room against the Longhorns' secondary. The other keys guys are freshmen: TB Michael Hart and QB Chad Henne. Hart is the key guy; he has to be productive to open up the passing game. Defensively, Michigan has been relatively stout. The run defense was bad in the final three-regular season games, and that bodes ill. Michigan has to keep Texas under 200 rushing yards to win this.

 ABOUT TEXAS: TB Cedric Benson has had a monster season, ranking fourth in the nation at 160.4 ypg; he has been held under 141 yards once (by Oklahoma) and had at least 161 yards seven times. QB Vince Young is a great runner, a bad passer. If Benson is shut down (as he was by Oklahoma), Texas won't win. The defense is solid and led by LB Derrick Johnson. The pass defense was shaky over the last half of the season; part of that, though, is because it has been extremely difficult to run on the Longhorns. Texas allowed 263 total rushing yards in its final five regular-season games.

 THE BUZZ: This is the first meeting between these perennial powers. This also is Texas' first Rose Bowl appearance.